Cesare

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“In the entire world there are only a few sounds that bring joy to all but the most jaded. One is the murmur of a kitten purring. Another is the thwack of a well-pitched baseball hitting a perfectly swung bat. And the third is the pop of a cork being pulled from a bottle of wine.” —George Taber

cmaldoon

cmaldoon wrote:Hey! I have a bottle of this! I'll open it after I get off work at 12am PST.

My notes will be there when you wake up!

2010 Domaine les Espérières Cotes du Rhone

Pop and pour (sadly, it is 2 am I don't have time for decanting)

Color: Ruby red with the barest hint of brown. Really a good burgundy color I wouldn't mind seeing on a robe. Extremely good clarity, I can make out fine details on the far side of an inch of wine. Very little suspended sediment.

Nose: Strawberries and loam. Loam is something I get off tons of French wines but only rarely from US wines. This is no different. There is a pungent note on top of these that is only noticeable, not obnoxious. Not getting much else right now. But berries and earth is a great start in my book.

Palate: This wine is nimble. It does not have a heavy body like many wines with Syrah can be. On the other hand, it is decently concentrated unlike many wines with this lighter feel. Another taste... The front end comes in with a bright fruit acidity like an underripe strawberry and this is mouth filling but not puckering. The middle falls off some and reminds me somewhat of a nondescript melon- refreshing, mouth filling, perhaps a bit creamy but without the floral character of many melons. On the tail end there is a little group of tannins that come to visit: between drying and chalky. Just about how I like them. The finish is a bit of soy and a bit of chocolate and hangs around for 5-10 seconds.

Comparison: I have a bottle of "Garnacha de Fuego 2011" a $7 bottle of Spanish Grenache that is my current go-to Tuesday night type wine. I had a bottle that had been on the counter overnight with one glass gone. The 2010 cotes du Rhone is running circles around this Grenache. The Grenache is heavy and spicy but all around very grapey and thick and unappealing when put in comparison to the thinner and brighter Rhone. The Rhone makes me want another sip and.. Oops ...now another glass in comparison.

I don't think I can have much more of my Grenache tonight... It just doesn't appeal.

The funny thing about this Rhone: I keep thinking that it is an unremarkable wine, it won't win any best of contests, but at the same time it is VERY appealing. Every sip begs for another. I had this same reaction with vino nocetto's Sangiovese. I think this is equivalent to that wine or perhaps a bit more interesting with its old world nuances.

Nose: after 30 min the nose is rounding out to a very nice strawberry cherry with that earthy feeling making my nose warm.

Palate: the middle is filling in a bit more now with creamy notes that persist through the finish. A butteriness or (it's been a long time since I had one) Lychee? When I have something very slightly sweet (like the American cheese *shudders* on my western bacon cheeseburger [I know, I know it isn't cheese, leave me alone, not much is open when I left work at 1 am after 13 hours on shift ]) it brings out a green note in the wine. A certain twigginess that I like but others may not.

Ok, since I am delving into multiple levels of parentheticals, I think it is time for me to sign off. I will taste part of the remainder of the bottle prior to returning to work at noon PST and will hopefully again post notes.

And hopefully in a more concise fashion.

In conclusion: this is a very remarkable unremarkable wine....if you get my drift. Definitely a food wine and one you will find your self asking why the bottom of the bottle came so soon and how the heck could I have so much drunk? ;-)

pseudogourmet98

Color: Ruby red with the barest hint of brown. Really a good burgundy color I wouldn't mind seeing on a robe. Extremely good clarity, I can make out fine details on the far side of an inch of wine. Very little suspended sediment.

Nose: Strawberries and loam. Loam is something I get off tons of French wines but only rarely from US wines. This is no different. There is a pungent note on top of these that is only noticeable, not obnoxious. Not getting much else right now. But berries and earth is a great start in my book.

Palate: This wine is nimble. It does not have a heavy body like many wines with Syrah can be. On the other hand, it is decently concentrated unlike many wines with this lighter feel. Another taste... The front end comes in with a bright fruit acidity like an underripe strawberry and this is mouth filling but not puckering. The middle falls off some and reminds me somewhat of a nondescript melon- refreshing, mouth filling, perhaps a bit creamy but without the floral character of many melons. On the tail end there is a little group of tannins that come to visit: between drying and chalky. Just about how I like them. The finish is a bit of soy and a bit of chocolate and hangs around for 5-10 seconds.

Comparison: I have a bottle of "Garnacha de Fuego 2011" a $7 bottle of Spanish Grenache that is my current go-to Tuesday night type wine. I had a bottle that had been on the counter overnight with one glass gone. The 2010 cotes du Rhone is running circles around this Grenache. The Grenache is heavy and spicy but all around very grapey and thick and unappealing when put in comparison to the thinner and brighter Rhone. The Rhone makes me want another sip and.. Oops ...now another glass in comparison.

I don't think I can have much more of my Grenache tonight... It just doesn't appeal.

The funny thing about this Rhone: I keep thinking that it is an unremarkable wine, it won't win any best of contests, but at the same time it is VERY appealing. Every sip begs for another. I had this same reaction with vino nocetto's Sangiovese. I think this is equivalent to that wine or perhaps a bit more interesting with its old world nuances.

Nose: after 30 min the nose is rounding out to a very nice strawberry cherry with that earthy feeling making my nose warm.

Palate: the middle is filling in a bit more now with creamy notes that persist through the finish. A butteriness or (it's been a long time since I had one) Lychee? When I have something very slightly sweet (like the American cheese *shudders* on my western bacon cheeseburger [I know, I know it isn't cheese, leave me alone, not much is open when I left work at 1 am after 13 hours on shift ]) it brings out a green note in the wine. A certain twigginess that I like but others may not.

Ok, since I am delving into multiple levels of parentheticals, I think it is time for me to sign off. I will taste part of the remainder of the bottle prior to returning to work at noon PST and will hopefully again post notes.

And hopefully in a more concise fashion.

In conclusion: this is a very remarkable unremarkable wine....if you get my drift. Definitely a food wine and one you will find your self asking why the bottom of the bottle came so soon and how the heck could I have so much drunk? ;-)

Tasting notes on a weekend international offer, WOW! Very much appreciated. And the comparison to the budget-friendly Garnacha del Fuego (I too enjoy this as a low cost daily drinker [although I would put it in a separate wine bracket from the CdR]) was interesting. And I {brace yourself} was not deterred by your multiple level parentheticals (parethetically speaking [of course!]).

rpm

At least for me price is $21.26 a bottle, considerably more than I'd pay for a Guigal Cotes du Rhone or perhaps even Cotes du Rhone Villages. Why is this wine worth more than the always reliable, often interesting, Guigal?

cmaldoon

Continued: after being poured into a split and put in the fridge overnight. Poured and let warm up for 20 min.

Nose: The nose seems more expansive and forthcoming than I remember last night. I sat down to taste and could smell it from a couple feet away. Still definitely strawberry cherry and earth there is now a slight musky floral note that adds a touch more interest.

Palate: First taste this morning comes across very acidic but I am used to that for the first sip of an early tasting. Continued sips show that the middle has filled out a bit. The brightness on the fore persists a bit longer and a cooked green flavor has come up in the center... Like a touch of canned green beans (not excessively and I mean this in a good way, it's very pleasant)

Overall impression:
More nose, more nuances, less fruit. Recommended for those of you who don't get out and try French wines. As RPM noted, there are lots of rhones out there at comparable prices but this one is quite decent. But I will add that for all of you who HAVEN'T gotten up off your duffs to get French wines locally, take this chance to stay right were you are and purchase some.

I am now dreaming of thinly sliced pork loin in a brandy/shallot/thyme cream sauce which would be DIVINE with this wine. Sadly, I am instead back to work for another 12 hours.

robertbramblett

cmaldoon wrote:Continued: after being poured into a split and put in the fridge overnight. Poured and let warm up for 20 min.

Nose: The nose seems more expansive and forthcoming than I remember last night. I sat down to taste and could smell it from a couple feet away. Still definitely strawberry cherry and earth there is now a slight musky floral note that adds a touch more interest.

Palate: First taste this morning comes across very acidic but I am used to that for the first sip of an early tasting. Continued sips show that the middle has filled out a bit. The brightness on the fore persists a bit longer and a cooked green flavor has come up in the center... Like a touch of canned green beans (not excessively and I mean this in a good way, it's very pleasant)

Overall impression:
More nose, more nuances, less fruit. Recommended for those of you who don't get out and try French wines. As RPM noted, there are lots of rhones out there at comparable prices but this one is quite decent. But I will add that for all of you who HAVEN'T gotten up off your duffs to get French wines locally, take this chance to stay right were you are and purchase some.

I am now dreaming of thinly sliced pork loin in a brandy/shallot/thyme cream sauce which would be DIVINE with this wine. Sadly, I am instead back to work for another 12 hours.

Well, thank you for the stellar review. I am not buying, but only because I have bought too much lately. I have 3 cases on the way, and the budget is shot.

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